Vijay Hazare Trophy: Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant in Delhi's probables
What's the story
Star batters Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant have been named in the list of probables for the Delhi team in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, India's domestic 50-over tournament. The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) announced the same on Thursday. The list of probables also includes names part of the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Here are further details.
Player participation
Commitment to domestic cricket
Last week, Kohli confirmed his availability for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. This came after a directive from the BCCI, asking him and Rohit Sharma to play domestic cricket. The two players are now active in only the 50-over format, having retired from Tests and T20Is. DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma said, "Virat Kohli has confirmed to the DDCA today that he will play the Vijay Hazare Trophy."
Inspirational figure
Impact on young players
Sharma also emphasized Kohli's influence on younger players, saying his participation in the domestic tournament will motivate them. He added, "Though he has nothing to prove, it shows that he still retains passion for the game." Kohli recently had three outstanding ODI outings against South Africa, scoring 302 runs across and winning the Player of the Series award.
Career update
Recent performance and ICC ranking
Kohli top-scored for India in ODIs this year, hammering 651 runs from 13 games at 65.10. His strike rate of 96.15 speaks volumes about his intent. The veteran batter tallied seven 50-plus scores this year, converting three of them to centuries. While his first three-figure score in 2025 was in the high-voltage ICC Champions Trophy clash against Pakistan, Kohli's other two tons came in successive games against South Africa. He recently became the second-ranked ODI batter (ICC Rankings).
Pant
What about Rishabh Pant?
While Kohli's form has been sublime, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant eyes a comeback to the ODI side. Pant, who last played an ODI in August 2024, missed the recent South Africa series owing to the team combination. While the top three are locked, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja were preferred in the middle order. This was when Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer missed out due to injuries. Nevertheless, Pant would want to have an impressive VHT campaign.
Information
Delhi's VHT campaign
Delhi will begin their 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy run on December 24 against Andhra Pradesh in Alur. They will face Gujarat two days later. Delhi's next opponents are Saurashtra, Odisha, Services, Railways, and Haryana.